The North Carolina State University BRIDGE Program is directed toward increasing the number of minority researchers in the biomedical and life sciences. The Program targets underrepresented minority students in colleges and universities offering Master of Sciences (M.S.) degree programs in biomedical-related sciences. The BRIDGE Program establishes a partnership between North Carolina State University and three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University, and Fayetteville State University; and one Native American institution: Pembroke State University. The Program will provide support and facilitate the transition of M.S. degree students in the sciences from these institutions to doctoral degree programs at North Carolina State University. Through its collaborative efforts with the participating institutions, the program seeks to improve the academic competitiveness of underrepresented minority students. This partnership program focuses attention and adequate resources on the underrepresented minority graduate students enrolled in the M.S. degree program. Components of the BRIDGE Program include: a mentoring program, faculty research collaborations, enhancement of the curricula at the MS institutions, development of a specialized summer biotechnology course for faculty and students at minority institutions, and the establishment of an admissions policy guaranteeing acceptance into the participating Ph.D. programs at North Carolina State University.